Get the 411.

In case you missed it, the IGNITE Special Meeting of the Members (SMOM) kicked off Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 in Student Centre locations across Humber North, Lakeshore, and Orangeville.

Students showed up to amplify their voice on the proposed by-law changes that were introduced in October 2019. Thank you to everyone who showed up, asked a question, and participated in helping shape your world and the future of IGNITE.

With so many active student participants, and the weight of the agenda items, we understand there may have been some confusion around the meeting and want to provide clarity on the meeting’s outcome.

Here’s what you missed:

1. Students approved the by-law amendments. This means that beginning with IGNITE’s 2020 election, all IGNITE Board of Directors (BOD) will continue to be elected by the student body, while executive positions will be selected through a careful hiring process.

Why? In order to align with the Ontario Not-for-Profit amendments, the hiring process will allow us to select the most qualified executive candidates. This increases the accountability of executives and ensures they are not only dedicated to the role but also equipped with the skillset to execute the Board’s objectives.

2. The Board of Directors are, and always were, the decision-makers of the organization. The IGNITE BOD is comprised of elected students from across campuses. They hold the executive decision-making power that gets initiatives (like the SoupBar) and accessibility efforts on the ground and running.

Confused? Read more about IGNITE’s current Board of Directors.

According to Board Chair, Neto Naniwambote, the changes will offer immense benefits for students. “It’s important for students to understand that these adjustments will keep power in the hands of students. Board members will be recognized for the influence they carried all along, while student executives will be selected based on qualification. This keeps student executives accountable while enhancing our transparency as an organization.”

3. These by-law amendments WILL NOT affect your tuition or increase your fees. Yes, you read that correctly. As expressed by Guelph-Humber Board Member Julia Ciampa, the tuition we pay and the fees we pay to IGNITE are different, and neither will be increasing. These amendments cost you $0.

4. Many of the changes were provincially mandated. As a student union, IGNITE is committed to ensuring every organizational decision is made with the student body in mind. In the wake of last year’s Student Choice Initiative (SCI) implementation, we have had to update our fee structure to align with the Government of Ontario’s recommendations to Humber College. Changes to fees are discussed and approved by the institutions’ Fee Protocol Committee. Though IGNITE sits on the committee and provides direction and insight, we are not the sole decision-makers.

Essentially, IGNITE cannot unilaterally change any of its fee structures or fee amounts without the approval of Humber College.

But what about Guelph-Humber students? 

Formerly known as the Humber Student’s Federation (HSF), IGNITE was created to alleviate the tensions between Humber and Guelph-Humber student unions in 2015. To this day, we are committed to serving both unique student bodies with services and opportunities that matter.

According to IGNITE President Monica Khosla, these changes will not be a burden to either Humber or UofGH students. “While we understand there may be confusion about the integrity process of hiring executives, we are committed to communicating the immense benefits this decision offers to students at large,” she shared. “Student success and engagement is our number one priority. Having student executives hired allows for better quality candidates who demonstrate a commitment to working alongside the Board and IGNITE staff to achieve their goals.”

Positions on the Board or as an IGNITE executive are open to all full-time students across Humber College and the University of Guelph-Humber.

Students are encouraged to continue engaging in the conversation by reaching out to the current executive team and Board of Directors, or messaging us on social media.

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